


Fic requests

by tiedbows



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Age Swap, Blood and Injury, Love Confessions, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Swimming, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, basically posting all my requests in one place unless noted otherwise, ft Disaster Gay Shiro, lifeguard keith
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-22 23:50:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15593553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiedbows/pseuds/tiedbows
Summary: fic requests from tumblrprompt 3: could you do something angsty where Keith is being mind-controlled or his body taken over, and he ends up stabbing himself to protect Shiro?





	1. i could drown in you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt 1: shiro is swimming in the pool and unexpectedly gets a leg cramp in the middle of the deep part of the pool and lifeguard keith saves him, the best part is that shiro pretends to be unconscious so keith can give him mouth to mouth and when he does, shiro gives himself away bc he gets red as hell

Shiro always considered himself a fairly good swimmer. Some of his favorite childhood memories were when he and his grandfather would go down to the lake outside of town on weekends during his summer breaks. His doctor even encouraged swimming as an alternative exercise to help his muscles without putting too much strain on his joints. While he wasn’t an Olympic-level swimmer, Shiro felt confident enough in his ability that he could definitely last in the community pool. 

 

The shocking jolt of pain running up his leg mid breast stroke, however, said otherwise. 

 

Shiro gasped at the sudden spasms flaring up in his calf and pulled his leg up against his body on instinct, going lax. The relief was temporary when he remembered he was still in the middle of the deep end. He shot up in the water at the sinking sensation, waves splashing up around him, and made a desperate attempt to lunge for the pool’s edge just feet away. Shiro could hear his name somewhere behind him.

 

The chemical taste of chlorinated water filled his mouth and nose as his fingers slipped against the slick tile and he sank like a stone below the surface. 

 

He flailed, frantically twisting and turning to try and pull himself upright through the pain. His leg felt simultaneously numb and as though it was repeatedly being stabbed by hundreds of pin needles with every involuntary twitch; his lungs and nose burned as he refrained from breathing and the distant echo of the cleaning pump mingled with the sound of rushing blood pounding in his ears. It hurt to keep his eyes open when all he saw was blurred blue.

 

A gentle, yet firm grip on his left arm settled his panic almost instantly. Shiro turned and could make out a shock of red and black through all the bubbles while being hoisted out of the water. A lifeguard. 

 

“Don’t worry, you’re going to be okay,” said a familiar voice. 

 

Despite the temporary lack of oxygen, he felt his heart flutter. It could only be one person. 

 

The handful of times he and his friends had visited the pool in the past two weeks, the lifeguard on duty was either a beautiful young woman in a red one piece suit who wore her hair up in a high ponytail, or an extremely gorgeous young man who always sat back keeping watch over everyone, his eyes hidden behind reflective aviators. Shiro caught his own reflection in those sunglasses one too many times from staring so often during their visits. The first time Shiro ever heard the lifeguard speak was to warn Lance to not run around the pool, and it was then he was instantly smitten. Today, it seemed his savior was the latter. 

 

The back against his chest guiding him back toward the shallow end of the pool was all firm shoulders and wiry muscle and much smaller than Shiro. Based solely on the feeling of being pressed up against him, Shiro had to at least be twice his mass. And he was gliding them through the water with ease. 

 

It was… pretty hot. 

 

Shiro, ever the opportunist, sagged forward and dropped his head onto the handsome lifeguard's shoulder, prompting the man to swim even faster. His skin smelled like a mix of sunscreen, sweat and a lingering scent of citrus shampoo. 

 

He didn’t have to open his eyes to know there was quite the commotion going on at the shallow steps of the pool. He could hear Hunk’s frantic rambling and Shay and Pidge’s attempts to calm him down over the concerned whispers. He was in too deep to stop now.

 

“Keith! Is he okay?” a female voice called feet away. 

 

Keith. His name was Keith. 

 

“I’m not sure how much water he took in, Allura,” the lifeguard, Keith, said. “Everyone please, step back.” 

 

If Shiro wasn’t already pretending to be unconscious, he would have passed out for real the moment Keith _lifted him in a bridal carry out of the pool_ and placed him gently onto the ground, being mindful to support Shiro’s head. An odd hush settled over the crowd watching them. He could have sworn the astonished whisper of “what the hell” came from Matt. 

 

Shiro wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep the act up as calloused hands performed compressions on his chest, until those same hands tilted his head back and pinched his nose and then a pair of lips covered his own. 

 

It took every ounce of his will not to move an inch. The mouth breathing air back into his lungs was soft and slightly tacky from lip balm residue. The lips pulled away for a brief moment before their mouths reconnected and Shiro was passed more air. This was the least romantic exchange he’d ever had since he accidentally sneezed into his first boyfriend’s mouth, but having the attractive lifeguard in Shiro's personal space was far too much for him to bear. 

 

“Wait, is he-,” and Shiro could hear Matt once whispering again, sounding completely scandalized, “is he turning  _red_?” 

 

Shiro launched into a coughing fit, turning his head to the side, with Keith’s assistance, and expelled some of the water he swallowed.

 

“Hey,” Keith said, supporting the back of Shiro’s head to help him sit up. It dawned on Shiro that the aviators were gone and eyes that blurred the line between blue and violet were staring back. He could feel himself sweating. “It’s alright, you’re safe. We can call you some medical attention.” 

 

“I-it’s okay, I’m fine now,” Shiro said, sounding waterlogged. He wondered if everyone around them could see the hearts in his eyes. “All thanks to you,” he added, and smiled up at the younger man. 

 

The reaction was instantaneous. A pink flush lit up Keith’s suntanned cheeks from within and he glanced down to where his other hand still rested on Shiro’s chest. “It, uh- just doing my job,” Keith said, finally smiling back. 

 

“ _Oh my God_ ,” Matt groaned in utter disgust and disappointment from the sidelines. The rest of their friends stood by, equal parts confused and concerned. 

 

Shiro could feel his best friend staring hard at him before angrily stomping away to the locker rooms, all the while muttering something about "being so embarrassed" and "needing a new best friend immediately.” 

 

Lance picked the exact moment to reappear between Hunk and Pidge, balancing arms full of mixed melon fruit cups. "Hey guys,” he said, passing one of the cups to Hunk, "did I miss anything?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoot me a request or come scream about s7 with me:
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/tiedbows) // [tumblr](http://tiedbow.tumblr.com/)


	2. the things unseen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt 2: shiro found out about keith being his soulmate [during the "the black paladins" fight]. he wants to talk about it and ask keith why he never said anything so he goes to keith who's all haha not right now man you have to heal and stuff because he's sure that shiro will reject him or something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> been debating whether to post this or not since it's kind of a request spawned by [this au post](http://tiedbow.tumblr.com/post/176132420795/hey-so-how-about-that-soulmark-au-where-shiro) i made but i realized it's still valid lmao. i recommend at least reading this post for some context to the overall story
> 
> [fic originally shared here](http://tiedbow.tumblr.com/post/176176863890/you-made-me-think-about-that-au-to-much-so-suffer)
> 
> please note that i purposefully left some things in this fic ambiguous so you're allowed to fill in those blanks. might do more with this one day, but for now this stands as is

“We need to talk.“ 

  
Keith pauses momentarily, a small hiccup in his movements, but carries on sorting through their rations.

  
“About what?” He almost sounds convincing. If he were talking to anyone but Shiro, it might have worked. 

  
“I think you’re well aware of what I mean,” he says with a slight edge. “The things my clone said, what people said, what he saw - I remember.“ 

  
This time there is no pause. The statement falls on deaf ears. Keith sorts out small portions of food enough for two people. His long hair rests against his cheek, hiding half of his face that’s familiar and foreign all at once, and if Shiro still had his prosthetic he would have brushed the strands away. The lack of a right arm doesn’t lessen the urge. 

  
"Keith,” he tries, frustrated and borderline pleading.

  
The younger man carries on preparing their meal, even going out of his way to peel and divide the fruit Hunk and Romelle found into manageable bite-size pieces for Shiro with his knife. The simple act makes warmth bloom in his chest like a rose, and for a moment, he redirects his frustration from Keith to himself. 

  
_How could have you have been so blind? How did it take so long for you to see what was in front of you this whole time?_

  
“Here,” Keith passes him one of the servings, the larger of the two, and a liquid pouch. “I’m not sure when you ate last, but this will help you regain some of your strength." 

  
Shiro sighs. His left hand curls into a fist against his thigh. 

  
"Keith, _please_." 

  
The wolf watches them where he rests from the corner of their team’s makeshift camp. 

  
His broad shoulders sag a little at Shiro’s tone. The younger man toys with the purple fruit in his hands when he says, "You’re still recovering. It can wait for later when you’re feeling better." 

  
"It’s almost been too late more than once,” he counters, and that makes Keith look up to meet his eyes. “Keith, how long have you known?" 

  
Shiro feels no need to specify what he’s talking about. They’re both aware. His soulmark feels like it’s burning through his armor, and he wonders if Keith’s feels the same.  

  
Keith’s eyes dart away for a second, but meets his gaze again. "A while,” he says, voice going soft. 

  
“How long is a while?” he asks.

  
Nothing really prepares him for the answer: “Since before Kerberos." 

  
Shiro feels like he’s been struck.

  
Keith’s known this entire time. Throughout their whole journey, since he landed back on Earth, when they were still at the Garrison, back when he was still with- 

  
"Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, pained. 

  
“When Shiro? When would have it been a good time?” Keith sounds resigned and the tiredness leaking through his voice, like he’s thought this through a thousand times, leaves Shiro speechless. “When, between you being in a long-term relationship, you leaving and going missing, and us trying to save the universe, would be the right time to tell you we’re soulmates?

  
"I was just some teen with discipline issues you were mentoring at the time when I found out. I knew what it meant, but seeing you so happy with him - who was I to ruin that for you, even if we were soulmates? But then you guys broke up, and that’s when I knew I had to be at a level where you could eventually look at me like that someday. I mean, I didn’t even know what I was- what I am to you.” The fruit in Keith’s grip is bruised. Yellow juice dribbles over his fingers but he doesn’t seem to notice.

  
The quiet settles between them. 

  
“That day we fought,” Keith starts again. “I decided if I was going to die, that secret wouldn’t die with me." 

  
Shiro stares at him. Long gone was the boy he met during recruitment, now replaced with a man who always ended up putting Shiro’s happiness and safety before himself. A man who never gave up on him. The guilt bubbles in Shiro’s stomach. He had this all wrong. 

  
"You know, I’m not as hungry as I thought I was,” Keith says, staring down at his lap. Everything remains whole and untouched. “Here, you need this more than I do,” he pushes it all to Shiro. “You need food to regain your strength." 

  
A hand catches Keith’s arm as he pulls away to stand. It startles him, and he stumbles before Keith corrects himself. He turns and finds Shiro staring at him with an intensity that’s near overwhelming.

  
"Everything,” he says, confidence and certainty radiate from him. 

  
“What?” Keith asks, the confusion clear on his face.

  
Shiro’s grip on his arm loosens and slides down to nestle against Keith’s palm and stays there. 

  
“You said you didn’t know what you mean to me,” he says, and his eyes soften at the sight Keith has become before him. “You’re everything." 

  
In the corner, the wolf wags his tail. 


	3. now just hold on, hold on (to me)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt 3: Hey... if you're still taking requests could you do something angsty where Keith is being mind-controlled or his body taken over, and he ends up stabbing himself to protect Shiro?

Keith's blade barely misses him by a hair and slices clean through a beam instead. He takes the opportunity to puts some distance between them and slides right under the black metal tower the moment before it collapses on the bridge. Beyond the fallen structure, he spies the outline of a tall figure.

 

 

Shiro takes the few precious seconds he has to regroup. He can feel the ugly bruises budding under his armor in the spots Keith has struck him with his legs or the butt of his blade, hard and precise. His jaw aches from the mean hook that knocked off his helmet into the empty abyss of space below where the station sat. Exhaustion plagues his body, but there is no time for rest. 

 

The eyes that stare him down through the shadows are not of the man he holds most dear. Not entirely. They are Galra yellow, and with his tinted violet skin, the sharp chin and sharp fangs exposed in his snarl, it amazes him how much Keith looks just like his mother. But those similarities die at his new cat-like pupils illuminated in the cursed glow of druid magic. They are cold and empty, completely free of the quiet affection that Shiro came to know as a teenager.

 

“It’s going to be okay, Keith,” he says. “You’ve always been there for me, and I don’t plan on leaving you now.” 

 

Keith barks out a dark laugh, shaking his head. “Oh Shiro, you haven’t really changed after all this time, huh? Still the little nuisance seeking validation in any way you can take it,” he says, colder than he’s ever sounded, and his eyes narrow. “Why keep trying when you’re not going to live long enough to achieve anything? You’re weak - always have been and always will be.” 

 

He refuses to waiver at those words. This wasn’t Keith. “I’m not leaving here with you,” he tries again. 

 

Keith grins. “Hate to break it to you, but neither of us are leaving.” 

 

The station comes to life in a violent burst of magenta light, but it’s the sudden sound of explosions that catches Shiro’s attention. They go off one after another, breaking the abandoned station apart into pieces that fall away into the void. 

 

It’s also the moment Keith lunges for Shiro, claws outstretched, that they continue their deadly dance. Shiro takes a huge risk not using his bayard, but it’s the only way he can hold off Keith without causing him any harm. They haven’t engaged in hand-to-hand combat since they were both still at the Garrison, and under any other circumstances, he would have enjoyed this. 

 

The surrounding explosions and flying debris turn their fight into a dangerous game. Shiro narrowly avoids the swipe of Keith’s claws and snap of his fangs by jumping to a lower walkway when a nearby bomb goes off and destroys the end of the platform. He runs, feeling the support under his feet give away and that gives him the push he desperately needs to jump. 

 

He falls fast, and catches the edge of the floating disc below the station by mere feet. Shiro’s heart pounds hard enough to threaten to break through his ribs and when he finally pulls himself up, he can’t stop trembling. The black bayard sits over an arm's distance away, but he doesn’t have the strength to push forward those last few inches for it to be in his hand. 

 

The hard thud of boots hitting metal are expected. Keith towers over him like an angel of death. Pulling out his blade, Keith brings it down with a cry akin to a roar. The tip hangs inches from his throat; the only thing stopping Keith's wrists from reaching its destination is Shiro's unactivated bayard, held up with sore arms. He's not sure how long he can keep this up. 

 

Keith's long hair falls around his face like a flood of black ink and a growl rumbles from within his chest like thunder. It’s fascinating, Shiro thinks, that even with the murderous glare, Keith is still the most beautiful thing he's has ever seen. 

 

“Keith, stop,” he gasps. 

 

The pressure increases and the blade's point creeps closer. 

 

“Don't do this. Please. I love you.” 

 

The change is over in a flash, but he sees it all. The way those yellow eyes widen and go soft in the corners, the slight ease of pressure bearing down over him. It's over before it begins and the Keith he knows is hidden away once more. His best friend's face hardens. 

 

"Just let go, Shiro. You don't have to fight it anymore," Keith says, pushing down with renewed vigor. "Even if you did, the others are already gone. I saw to it myself." 

 

He isn't sure what does it - the loss of their friends and home, the shallow jagged line of the blade drags over his neck that leaves blood oozing free or everything literally falling apart around them, but with a pained cry, Shiro kicks Keith toward the center of the platform. As he stands he can feel blood trickle into the collar of his suit. 

 

Keith rises to his feet, lips curled back in a snarl. The human shouldn't still be alive, but he stands there with shining eyes full of hope and hurt. 

 

_Finish him off, now,_ the witch whispers in his head and his hand clutches his unactivated blade's handle. _Kill the Black Paladin!_  

 

The moment Keith charges forward, blade raised, Shiro pulls up his shield and bayard prepared to go on the defense. 

 

It's the quiet gasp that draws his eyes up from behind his arm, but it's the sight of Keith impaled on his own blade that shakes him to the core. 

 

"No!" Shiro runs, just catching Keith in his arms before he crumples in a heap. 

 

He holds Keith to his chest and inspects the wound. Half of the blade is still sticking out of him, but dark blood flows out around it like lava in steady rivulets, staining the black under armor. 

 

Shiro's basic medical training from the Garrison kicks in. He applies pressure with his hand around the wound to slow the blood flow. The blade can't be removed because it's ironically the only thing stopping Keith from bleeding out. He needs to keep it secure, but it dawns on him that he has nothing. No supplies to wrap the wound, nothing to disinfect, no way of getting off this platform. Rock and metal debris keep raining around them. He can't reach Black from this point and even if he could, the healing pods, the Castle, their team are-

 

"Shiro." 

 

Shiro's attention snaps back to the man in his arms. Keith's half closed eyes are no longer yellow. He watches his skin turn from violet to pale biege. A thin line of blood escapes his mouth when he sighs. 

 

"H-hey buddy," Shiro says with shuttered breath. "Glad to have you back." 

 

The smile he gets in return is small and breaks his heart. "Good to be back," Keith whispers. He groans and Shiro takes that as his signal to apply more pressure. He ignores how warm the blood feels through his gloves. 

 

"Is that my fault?" Keith asks softly, staring at something Shiro can't see until he remembers the neck wound. 

 

He shakes his head. "It's nothing," he chokes out a broken laugh around the lump sitting in his throat. "I just cut myself shaving again. Like back at the Garrison." 

 

Keith doesn't smile. Instead, he links his fingers with Shiro's pressing on his wound. 

 

"I'm sorry," he says, and he sounds so tired. His eyes threaten to shut. "I never wanted to hurt you. Never you." 

 

Tears slide down Shiro's face and stain Keith's armor. "I know, Keith. I know. You're gonna be okay, I promi-" 

 

There's the boom of the final explosion, an angry screech of metal and then the fall. 

 

He pulls Keith against him with one arm and keeps the other firm on the wound and blade. Shiro knows he should be afraid, falling to his death in space, but when he looks to see Keith's face pressed to his breastplate, eyes closed, he feels peace. Shiro holds on tighter and buries his face in Keith's long hair. 

 

_I love you._

 

In the back of his mind, Shiro hears a lion's roar. 

**Author's Note:**

> shoot me a request or come scream about s7 with me:
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/tiedbows) // [tumblr](http://tiedbow.tumblr.com/)


End file.
